Truth-Telling
The hour was relatively early, the sun rising higher into the sky as the minutes ticked by. Today was one of her few days off, her vice-captain taking over operations. Then again, most squad members were deployed or off on their own miniature vacations. She smiled faintly, thinking about how far many of them had come from their early days. The woman began devising ways to take them to further heights, wanting them to be as strong as possible; to "surpass their limits" as her father was so fond of saying. She noted how much of an odd couple the two of them made, his sloth and her mother's uptightness. Liz supposed that opposites attract. A summer breeze through the window reminded her what was today. Stretching, her smile broadened before retreating into nervousness. She fussed over her appearance in the mirror, fixing any stray hairs, cleaning away any drool from sleep. Liz didn't know what her friend had planned for the day, but she wanted to look her best. She hopped in the shower quickly, hurriedly washing up. A dash of a blush ran across her face as she thought of the things she wanted to say; they would have to wait until the woman herself arrived. Even then Liz wasn't sure if the words would come. For now at least, she would content herself with getting ready, choosing a pair of blue jeans, a warm colored blouse and sandals. Then came the matter of wearing her hair up and down; at least three times she changed the style before finally deciding to let it fly free. She sighed. Rosanne literally crashed into Elizabeth's room, landing face-first into the floor. She shot to her feet, her massive wells of energy letting her do so. She laughed as she rubbed the back of her head. Rosanne wore the same outfit she always did; a tight black bodysuit with a white fur coat. "Good morning, Lizzie!" Rose exclaimed, her voice suprisingly louder than what people often expected. Rosanne made herself welcome in her childhood friends' room, plopping herself onto her bed. She stretched, making exaggerated noises as she did so. She then instantly got back to her feet, facing Elizabeth. Rosanne never found herself to be fixated on one action, always wanting to move around. She placed her hand on Liz's shoulder and grinned. "I like your hair," the redhead casually noted before continuing with her train of thought. The woman removed the hairtie in her own hair, sending her hair cascading down. "Blech, I hate it when I tie up my hair. Don't even know why I do it." she ranted before snapping back into reality. "You may be wondering why I asked for you to spend your day off with me," she began. "First reason, why wouldn't you? Secondly, it's about time we had a little girls day-out! We haven't had one on one time for...four days now!" Rosanne stated, acting as if four days was truly a long time to wait to see someone again. "Are you ready?" Rosanne asked, a smile manifesting onto her face. Liz jumped. Looking behind her, she would find Rose face-first on the floor of her bedroom. However, the moment she went to ask if she was alright, the woman shot to her feet, pacing back and forth. A bundle of energy that couldn't for the life of her stand still. Liz shook her head in amusement. "Good morning Rose," she responded warmly, cleaning out the remaining dandruff before finally prying her own hands away. There had been enough fussing for the time being. The woman laughed. "No one told you to tie up your hair Rose. You often wear it free to begin with," she commented before stretching, "Four days isn't that long you know." However, she couldn't hide her excitement, the culmination of nervousness and genuinely looking forward to the start of the girl's day out. "We are we headed first?" Liz asked, her tone betraying her enthusiasm. Rosanne rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah Lizzie. But I just do. I don't know what I'm doing half the time." the woman joked, flipping her hair to her back. She screwed up her eyes, pretending to think about where the two would spend the majority of their day. Her face lit up as she spoke, "I was thinking somewhere out of town, perhaps in the Lower Circles. Can't have people recognizing us and intruding on our us time!" the woman exclaimed. She stared into Liz's eyes before chuckling. "Don't be so nervous, it'll just be us!" she said, apparently recognizing the nervousness dwelling within Liz easily. "You ready?" She shook her head again. "The Lower Circles? Where abouts?" Liz responded. The Lower Circles was a very large area with many spots frequented by the citizens and to a far lesser extent nobles. "I'm not nervous," she grumbled. Though the woman was truly nervous for a different reason. She was perfectly confident that they would be fine. If anything, she was nervous because it was just them. "Yes I'm ready," Liz said finally, stretching once more as she smoothed out her blouse. Her blue-gray gaze sparkled in the midday sunlight. Rose scoffed. "Not nervous, please. I've known you long enough to know you're nervous right now. About something." she responded, walking up to Elizabeth. The redhead grabbed ahold of Liz, carrying her bridal-style. "Let's go!" Rose exclaimed, activating her magic. The area around them began to warp as landscapes soared by, at least that would be how Liz perceived it. Within seconds they arrived at their destination, Rose gently setting Liz back onto her feet. Her stomach roared in hunger. "Maybe we should get something to eat!" she exclaimed, laughing in the process. Her face became red as a tomato the moment Rose picked her up bridal style; the woman struggled to rein in her imagination. "U-Uh-Um-a-ah," she mumbled, attempting to hide her blushing visage. She recovered once set down, redness fading as Liz used Rose's snarling stomach to distract herself. "I think that would help, we don't want you running around eating people," Liz teased before poking her friend. "Where's the nearest place to grab something....." Rose giggled before gently flicking Liz's neck in retaliation. She smiled at Liz affectionately before pondering about it for a while. "Anywhere should work," Rose began, remembering their last formal encounter. "Scheze did say the people here make food that tastes really good!" she exclaimed, playfully wrapping her arm around Liz's shoulder. The redhead's stomach snarled yet again. Rose began to walk ahead of Liz, turning her head back towards Liz as she did. "We should hurry up, don't want me eating any people." she teased, playfullying winking at her friend. She smirked before turning serious. "The logical thing is to walk into town th-," Liz began before her blush returned in force. She could feel nervousness bubbling inside of her at the prolonged contact. Fortunately, she was rescued once more by Rose's persistent stomach. "Y-Yes, we should. I'm not about to explain to a family why so and so is missing," she retorted with the beginnings of another smirk. The woman began walking. They had arrived. It was a small little place not too far away from where they had arrived, with a seemingly open cooking area. Rosanne exaggeratingly gestured towards the area, where she took a seat alongside Liz. She looked around for a second before beginning to speak. "What do you think, Lizzie?" she asked, the approval of her friend obviously important to her. "It's nice and homely, kind of like we're on a date!" "D-Date? R-Right?" she sputtered shortly after they sat down. God she felt hopeless. If her squad saw her right now...Liz decided she wouldn't go down that road. She stared at the table, willing her blush to fade for the time being. It was then that she remembered Rose asked her a question. Looking up, she would see the redhead staring at her expectantly. "It's homely and comfortable. I feel at ease," she admitted, "though..where do we order?" "Bring us some food!" Rosanne exclaimed. Immediately, a man nodded and began to cook, the aroma weakening. "Probably like that." she responded to Liz, a sly grin on her face. She casually placed one of her hands onto Liz's, which had been on the small table. Rose brought no attention to it, smiling as the food arrived. She looked into Liz's eyes, an expression of affection obviously visible. "Dig in, Lizzie!" So much for a cool expression. Her face reddened to the color of Rose's hair as the redhead laid her hands over Liz's. Looking into Rose's face, she would only find clear affection. Her blush deepened as she stammered. "I-I-uh-a-uh-um." Words wouldn't come as her mind thought of things to say. When would she tell her? Not now. Taking solace in the food in front of her, she would oblige Rose's request, hungry from the journey. Once Rose had finished her dish, she asked for more. And then more. By the time Elizabeth had finished her dish, Rose had consumed at least ten; it was hard to tell from all the dirty dished. Rose giggled. "Finally full!" she exclaimed, her hand gently squeezing Liz's as if on instinct. She let out a quiet belch, excusing herself soon after. She stared into Liz's eyes for a while before beginning to speak. "Anywhere you wanna head to next, Lizzie?" She stared at Rose. "Where do you put it all?" Liz asked. It was something that she had asked before and would likely ask again, unable to comprehend how someone could put away so much food without any repercussions. Liz sighed, before looking at her single dish that she had consumed. She would squeeze Rose's back in response, her cheeks still red. "U-Um, I guess some shopping would be nice. Maybe a walk in the countryside?" Rose giggled in response to Liz's sally about her consumption habits. She shrugged before beginning to think about their next destination, using Elizabeth's two suggestions as her main choices. After pondering for a while, she had decided; a walk in the countryside sounded nice. She looked towards Liz before speaking, "A walk sounds nice. Just the two of us!" she exclaimed happily before standing. "Ready to go?" "J-Just the two of us," Liz repeated, trying to convince herself that this wasn't happening. Then again, it was a perfect opportunity for "that". She shook her head, attempting to clear it. When that didn't work, she stared at her dish somewhat forlornly. Finally, she focused, beating back layers of anxiousness. "Sure," Liz replied while standing. The woman thanked the chef for the meal. Rosanne walked over to her friend, a brow raised. “Why are you so anxious? It’s just gonna be us.” the redhead pointed out, grabbing and carrying Elizabeth in the same fashion as before. The area around them changed rapidly, the two of them isolated in the countryside. Rosanne gently set her friend aside again, plopping herself onto the hill, hoping Liz would follow suit. “This is nice, isn’t it, Lizzie?” Predictably, her face was red, the color of ripe strawberries this time as she was carried bridal style once more. "I-It's nothing." she stammered, cursing inwardly at her lack of self-control. Liz would sit down once more, quietly taking in the landscape. "It's beautiful," she responded, listening to the chirping of meadowlarks as nature resumed its course. "Rose I-" the woman started before lapsing into silence once more. She didn't want to ruin the moment by unburdening herself; to make things awkward between them. Rose set her head in Liz’s lap, looking up at her. “What’s wrong?” Rose asked, concern in her voice. She stared into her friends eyes, scanning them. Eventually, she reached her verdict. “A-Are you hiding something from me?” the redhead asked, sadness in her voice. A sense of betrayal. “Y-You know you can tell me anything, right?” She shook her head even as the words rose unbidden to her tongue. "No, I don't want to ruin this moment..." Liz started, a mental debate raging in her mind. Should she tell? Should she not? The woman trusted Rose and had known the redhead since they were small children. Before she could stop herself, it tumbled out. "I-I'm into women." Her memory recalled saying that men were a faceless mass to her. Rose raised a brow. “That’s it?” She asked, poking Liz in the gut. “Why’d you think of judge you over something so trivial?” She looked back into her eyes and smirked. “Guess that’s one more thing we have in common, Lizzie. Pretty cool.” "I don't know...it's just..nobles aren't quite as accepting of things that deviate from their norms. I should know the Vermillion are different though. That you're different," she responded, relief coloring her tone as she smoothed back Rose's locks. However, her nervousness would return in force as she realized that she had only told half of the confession. Rosanne was quick to pick up on Liz’s hesitation. She gently flicked Liz’s forehead. “I don’t get why you try to hide things from me. I know you too well.” the redhead stated, a smile on her face. “You can tell me anything you want, and you can start by telling me the rest of your little confession, alright?” she stated, although it sounded more like an order. Liz sighed. Apparently she was too transparent to her old friend. "I-I," she started before stopping. She started again, gathering every scrap of courage possible. "I-I have feelings for you Rose. I...want to be with you. You probably don't feel the same way but I-..just wanted to put it out there." Her face flushed deep red. "Damn it." Rosanne stared into Liz’s eyes for a while before smiling. She shot up, her lips locking with Liz’s for a second before she laid back down. Rose said nothing, only stared into Liz’s eyes for sometime. “That clear any of your ridiculous doubts yet?” Liz was speechless, her face redder than Rose's locks. The woman touched her lips as if to confirm what just happened. "I-uh...um-I-y-yes," she managed finally. Her tongue refusing to listen to her demands. Instead, she caressed Rose's cheek while the redhead remained comfortable on her lap. Rosanne smirked, placing her hand on Liz's. She stared affectionately into Liz's eyes, her smirk not fading. She played with Liz's fingers, a small giggle leaving her mouth. Even Rosanne was shocked about what she had done. "What now?" the redhead asked, waiting for a response. "We enjoy each other's company," Liz responded before bending down to return the favor. Her lips lightly brushed against Rose's own. "I love you." Her smile was warm as she leaned backwards, laying her head on the grass. Her eyes reflected the clear skies above. Rose turned as red as her cascading hair. "U-Umhhdu...I love you too." the woman managed to stammer out, looking away, nervous as she'd ever be. Liz pondered the clouds as they passed, deciding she enjoyed the countryside and its serenity. "We should do this more often....um, are we officially a couple now?" she commented. The woman was in foreign territory now, a fact betrayed by her wobbly tone. Rosanne just stared at Liz for a while, her smirk becoming a grin. "We should," she began. "As for us being a couple...I don't see why not." she responded, placing her hand on Elizabeth's cheek. "I love you too." she stated with no hesitation, genuinely meaning so. Liz placed her hand over Rose's, content to remain this way for a little while. Her expression was contemplative as the blush faded. She braided her fingers with Rose's thoughtfully. "Is there anything you want to do love?" Liz asked, surprised at how natural it felt to say that. It occurred to her that maybe this confession should have been made sooner. She sighed happily. Rose herself was still in shock. Adrenaline still pumped through her; from the confessions to the small kisses, Rosanne was filled with pleasure. She squeezed Elizabeth's hand gently, enjoying that small embrace to the fullest. "I don't know, I never really do." she said nonchalantly, staring up at Liz. "It's your choice as usual, Lizzie. Any suggestions on what to do now?" Liz sat up once more, leaning over Rose as she returned the squeeze. She kept her face millimeters from the woman's, gazing at Rose's lips with rapt interest. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe more of this. Or we could go for the walk I mentioned earlier...the weather's quite nice." Rosanne smirked before planting her lips onto Liz's for a few seconds before pulling back and laying back down. After a while, Rosanne shot to her feet, gracefully avoiding colliding into Elizabeth's chin as she did so. She spun around to face Elizabeth. "You're right, that walk does sound nice." She touched her lips lightly, savoring the contact. Liz stood, intertwining her left hand with Rose's right. "Hmm...where do we want to go...how about in that direction?" she suggested, pointing to a wide dirt trail weaving through the forest. Rosanne nodded, squeezing Liz's hand as it interlaced. "That does sound nice," Rose responded. "We might get lost ya know," Rose continued. "It might just be us in there...for a very long time." "I fail to see how that's a bad thing," she responded, shifting suddenly as her arms slid under Rosanne, carrying the redhead bridal style before starting down the trail. She walked with ease, admiring the tranquil environment around her. "I figured I should return the favor." Rose giggled. “I know, I know.” she said, poking one of Elizabeth’s cheeks. “I’m just teasing you about it, wanted to get a reaction out of you.” she finished. She quickly rolled out of Liz’s arms, standing on her own feet. She simply interlaced their hands and kept walking. “This is better.” she said, referring to their interlaced hands. Liz pouted. "I'm not allowed to carry you?" she complained, before squeezing Rose's hand gently. Truth be told, she was fine with how they were. She felt freer, her feelings and her orientation accepted. In the world they lived in, that was a big deal. Liz continued down the winding trail as it narrowed and widened, weaving among the trees and brush. Rose playfully bumped her shoulder into Elizabeth's side. "No, no, I just wanna hold your hand." she responded, the two entering the forest. The trees were humongous, the sun reflecting between the leaves. Small birds flew from tree to tree and the sounds of insects were soothing. "This is fun." Rose murmured, squeezing Liz's hand. Liz nodded. "It's restful," she responded, before seeing the path widening once more. This time however, she felt the ground change; now, it was soft and sprayed as she walked. The path widened further, forming into a bank as the smell of freshwater wafted towards her nose. She would find herself gazing at a lake, sunlight reflecting across the clear surface. Liz squeezed Rose's hand in response as she walked further, kicking off her sandals in the process. Rose smiled as the two made their way down the path. It was soothing, reassuring knowing that she was in solitude with Elizabeth. As she noticed Elizabeth removing her sandals, Rosanne followed suit. Removing her own shoes and tossing her coat aside, Rose made her way to the lake. After tossing aside her top, she leaped into the water, sending water flying out. "You joining me?" Rose asked, teasing Elizabeth. "There's more than enough room, ya know?" Liz dug her toes into the sand before wiggling them. Leaving her clothes in a heap by the shore, she would wade in till she reached Rose. The woman didn't answer Rose's question, a devious smirk her only reaction before she tackled the redhead playfully. "Don't be silly, of course I am," she said after emerging from the deliciously cool depths of the lake, nibbling Rose's jaw playfully. Rose giggled as she felt Liz bite her gently. She carefully pushed her away, tracing her fingers on her body as she retracted them. "Naughty naughty girl." Rosanne teased, swiftly moving through the water. She pushed some water towards Liz, letting the water splash onto her. "This..." the redhead began. "This is nice. Just being here, you and me. It's calming, it feels so right, ya know?" Liz snickered. "You bring it out of me," she retorted while smirking. She protested childishly after being splashed, before responding in kind with a splash of her own. "It does," she agreed, laying on her back as she floated across the lake. "I want it to stay this way forever." Rose smiled. "Well, we can't stay here forever. Even though it sucks, we have our jobs." Rose began. "But we can stay here as long as you like. Just the two of us enjoying each others company." she said, slowly moving towards Liz until she was only centimeters away from her. She began to trace one of her fingers on Liz's body, a smirk appearing on Rose's face. "Just me...and you." Liz sighed sadly. "Yes we do...we best make this count then." A small smile tugs at the corner of her lips as she lightly caresses Rose's cheek. "Just me and you? I do wonder what we could do together." Rose smirked, chuckling slightly. Tracing a finger over Liz's frame, she moved her head towards her ear. "Let's find out." she whispered into Liz's ear sharply, emphasizing each and every syllable. Liz's smile broadened as her arms encircled Rose's waist, pulling her close. Her face turned, capturing the redhead's mouth in a deep kiss as the water rippled around their bodies. Dappled sunlight shined over their forms as Liz sought to display just how much Rose meant to her. Rosanne responded blissfully, taking in Liz's passion. They remained in their passionate embrace, letting themselves enter a realm of euphoria. ---- She near the edge of the water, small waves lapping at her toes. Liz still felt like the end of a live wire, her mind replaying all they had done in the past few hours. Sighing happily, she stretched, before noticing the sky had darkened, moonlight replacing the sun across the serene lake. "I suppose we should head home now," Liz said, turning to Rose, a small smile present. Rose sighed, her feet dipping into the water. She rose to her full height, a pout on her face. "If we're heading home now, I'm staying over at your place." she said, a smirk on her face. She began to dress herself, a mischievous smirk on her face. "With this...sleepover, we can have so much more fun, don't you think?" she asked teasingly, letting out a quick giggle. Liz's face became red. "A sleepover would be n-nice," she responded, stuttering a bit at the end. She knew exactly what would happen during said sleepover. Wiggling her toes once more, she stood, sliding into her clothes once more. "Shall we be off?" Liz asked, her blush fading as she linked her hands with Rose's once more. Rose giggled nervously, but felt her confidence return as she felt Liz's hand intertwine with her own. She wanted to stay like this forever, just her and Liz, basking in each others company. Rose finally knew how to describe her relationship with Liz, it wasn't complicated anymore. They were together. They were a couple. "Of course," she began, carrying Liz. "I love you, Elizabeth." Liz smiled before flicking her free hand. Forming in front of them was a large hawk, wings tucked in as it waited for them to climb on. "I figured since you brought us here it would only be fair if I brought us back." She took Rose's hand to her lips before kissing it. "I love you too Rosanne." With that, she climbed onto the back of the hawk. Rose giggled, as she felt Liz's soft lips on her hand. "Let's go." she said as she sat behind Liz, wrapping her arms around her waist. She rested her head on Liz's shoulder, nuzzling her neck. "Let's go." she repeated, dozing off slowly. Liz smiled softly in response before willing the hawk to fly. Spreading its wings, it would take to the night sky. Once aloft, she chanced a look below. A dark, silent landscape with the occasional burst of civilization. It was fitting. She hummed quietly as the hawk picked up speed, gliding across the heavens as they made their way home.